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18 Best Inexpensive Landscape Plants
Landscape Plants have always fascinated me, but the frustration of seeing them planted incorrectly made it hard to enjoy them. I had hired a company with certified arborists to prune and plant trees, thinking the job was in safe hands.
Later, a different arborist pointed out that the root flare of one tree was buried six inches below grade, which could shorten its life drastically. I even wrote an article about 17 Inspiring Color Schemes for Kitchens With Dark Cabinets, but at that moment, my garden felt far less inspiring.
Landscape Plants require more attention than most people realize, and the lack of knowledge among some landscapers was shocking. Many cities plant thousands of trees annually, yet so many suffer from improper planting or unadjusted drip lines.
I wanted to shout it from a billboard, warning that trees can die simply from avoidable mistakes. It became clear that even experienced gardeners must learn and correct techniques to protect their investments in greenery.
Landscape Plants finally felt manageable when I took control of the process myself. When a large B&B red maple arrived, I carefully exposed the root flare, removing about eight inches from the top of the root ball, leveling it perfectly with the lawn.
Seeing it settled and healthy reminded me that proper planting does not have to be expensive. With patience, research, and attention to detail, even inexpensive landscape plants can thrive, creating a beautiful and lasting yard that anyone can be proud of.
18. Hostas as Inexpensive Landscape Plants
Hostas are versatile and prized for their dramatic foliage. Planting bare-root divisions or small starter plants is cost-effective, and they thrive in shade, providing texture and color under trees or on the north side of your home. They multiply each year, giving you more plants to spread around the garden, and their lush leaves are perfect for soft boundaries in shady areas.
17. Daylilies as Inexpensive Landscape Plants
Daylilies are tough, reliable, and profusely blooming. They can be sourced from plant swaps or divided from existing clumps, making them very economical. They tolerate a wide range of soil conditions and sun exposures, ideal for borders or pathways. These resilient perennials provide vibrant, low-maintenance color year after year.
16. Sedum (Stonecrop) as Inexpensive Landscape Plants
Tall varieties like ‘Autumn Joy’ or creeping groundcovers are drought-tolerant and easy to propagate from cuttings. Sedum provides structure and year-round interest in sunny, dry areas. Their dried flower heads offer winter texture, making them a hardy, versatile, and cost-effective landscape plant.
15. Shasta Daisies as Inexpensive Landscape Plants
Shasta Daisies are classic, cheerful flowers with white petals and yellow centers. They can be grown from seed or small six-packs, making them economical for mass planting. They multiply quickly, fill gaps, and provide a bright cottage-garden look with minimal effort.
14. Forsythia Shrubs as Inexpensive Landscape Plants
Forsythia are fast-growing shrubs that produce bright yellow flowers in early spring. Bare-root whips are inexpensive and allow you to create quick privacy screens or informal hedges. Their vibrant early bloom adds seasonal interest and vertical height to any landscape design.
13. Creeping Phlox as Inexpensive Landscape Plants
Creeping Phlox forms dense mats of vibrant flowers in spring. Sold in small flats, it covers ground efficiently, suppresses weeds, and adds color to slopes or sunny areas. This low-maintenance plant is excellent for erosion control and dramatic spring displays.
12. Russian Sage as Inexpensive Landscape Plants
Russian Sage is silvery-leaved with lavender-blue flower spikes. Planting small groups creates mass color at a low cost. Drought- and heat-tolerant, it’s ideal for xeriscaping. The airy blooms add movement and delicate color to sunny borders.
11. Ornamental Grasses (e.g., Karl Foerster) as Inexpensive Landscape Plants
Young plugs or small divisions grow into large clumps, offering movement, texture, and year-round structure. These grasses fill large spaces, create modern borders, and provide architectural appeal even in winter—all at minimal cost.
10. Succulents (e.g., Hens and Chicks) as Inexpensive Landscape Plants
Hens and Chicks thrive in rock gardens, containers, and dry spots. Starting with a few plants produces many offsets that can be replanted for free. Their rosette shapes and textures add miniature drama and architectural detail on a tight budget.
9. Climbing Roses (Cane Cuttings) as Inexpensive Landscape Plants
Rooting cane cuttings from established roses is virtually free. Planted near trellises or arbors, they offer vertical color, fragrance, and elegance. Over time, they create dramatic height and luxurious blooms for very little cost.
8. Black-Eyed Susans (Rudbeckia) as Inexpensive Landscape Plants
These native flowers grow easily from seed and self-seed prolifically. They provide long-lasting summer color, attract pollinators, and create large golden swaths in sunny spots, offering excellent value for low-maintenance landscapes.
7. Privet Hedges as Inexpensive Landscape Plants
Privet grows quickly and can be purchased as bare-root seedlings in bulk. They can be pruned into formal or informal hedges, providing year-round privacy and structure. These hardy shrubs are perfect for defining boundaries and creating green walls at low cost.
6. Ferns (Various Varieties) as Inexpensive Landscape Plants
Hardy ferns like Ostrich or Japanese Painted Ferns add delicate texture and lush green color to shady, damp areas. Small divisions fill dark spaces beautifully, creating a woodland understory effect with minimal maintenance.
5. Coneflowers (Echinacea) as Inexpensive Landscape Plants
Coneflowers are drought-tolerant perennials that attract pollinators. Planted from small plugs or divided clumps, they provide long-lasting summer blooms and support local ecosystems, making them both attractive and purposeful.
4. Groundcover Junipers as Inexpensive Landscape Plants
Spreading junipers control erosion and fill sunny areas with evergreen texture. Purchased in smaller pots, they require little maintenance and create a dense, low-growing, durable landscape solution for slopes or dry areas.
3. Hydrangeas (Mophead and Panicle) as Inexpensive Landscape Plants
Starter plants or propagated cuttings allow affordable access to dramatic blooms. Varieties like ‘Annabelle’ or ‘Limelight’ grow quickly, adding volume, elegance, and romantic color to borders or foundation plantings. Dried blooms add winter interest.
2. Daffodils and Tulips (Bulk Bulbs) as Inexpensive Landscape Plants
Buying bulbs in bulk is cost-effective for early spring color. Planted densely in drifts, they provide vibrant displays before most plants awaken. Many varieties return reliably each year, multiplying over time.
1. Spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana) as Inexpensive Landscape Plants
Spiderwort is drought-tolerant, long-blooming, and easy to spread. Dividing clumps or letting self-seeding occur naturally creates a reliable pop of color and airy texture for almost any garden spot, filling beds with lush, low-cost beauty.
Conclusion
These 18 inexpensive landscape plants prove that creating a lush, beautiful garden is possible on any budget. By selecting hardy, versatile, and easy-to-propagate plants like Hostas, Daylilies, and Spiderwort, you can achieve a high-impact, professionally designed look without high costs. Embracing these cost-effective options transforms your outdoor space into a thriving, stunning sanctuary.
